Tuesday, July 9, 2013

A Freddie Mercury gorilla sculpture has been removed from a Norwich, UK street exhibit over copyright issues.

The BBC reports organizers of Go Go Gorillas, a public art trail in Norwich, were contacted by Queen's manager Jim Beach on behalf of the Freddie Mercury estate.

The estate claimed the suit "worn" by the gorilla breached copyright, and it asked the Freddie "Radio Go Go" Gorilla sculpture, which Norfolk artist Mik Richardson took three days to create, to be "taken off the streets".

The sculpture was removed from Millennium Plain, outside The Forum, at 11:00 BST. on Monday.

The "Radio Go Go" Gorilla is one of 53 life-size gorillas decorated by Norfolk artists and displayed on the streets of Norwich over the summer.